Shoosmiths wins high profile public transport work

Shoosmiths wins high profile public transport work

Shoosmiths is to advise on one of the West Midlands' most important and high profile public transport projects.

The national law firm has been chosen by West Midlands Combined Authority (formerly Centro) to advise on the development of its Midland Metro Future Routes scheme.

West Midlands Combined Authority (formerly Centro) - the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive - promotes and develops public transport across the region, including Midland Metro, which takes in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and towns in between.

Chosen following a competitive process, Shoosmiths will initially provide commercial, real estate, planning and construction advice on four separate proposed schemes, all of which plan to extend the existing Midland Metro network:

An existing client, West Midlands Combined Authority, has been advised by Shoosmiths for six years on a range of major projects across the West Midlands, including the Integrated Passenger Transport Database, Birmingham City Centre Interchange and agreements with Birmingham Airport.

Alongside client relationship partner David Jackson will be partner Chris McClure, who last year helped Hitachi Rail Europe secure a £4.5 billion contract to build and maintain a new UK fleet of trains; and partner Ursula Gould, who will lead Shoosmiths' project team, bringing to bear her experience working on major infrastructure and transport projects.

Jackson said: "This is a hugely important scheme for the whole of the West Midlands and beyond - creating jobs and boosting the regional economy - and we'll be bringing to it a multi-discipline team who have a successful track record of working with the team at West Midlands Combined Authority."